COVID-19: 78% parents in UP want to send children to schools, finds survey

With a positivity rate of less than 2 per cent, 78 per cent of parents in Uttar Pradesh are likely to send their children to school in the coming days, according to a survey conducted by a social media community platform, LocalCircles.

The survey, conducted by LocalCircles, received 3,286 responses from residents across all districts of UP. Sixty-three per cent of the respondents were men, while 37 per cent were women. 

Of the 3,286 responses to the question, "What is your plan on sending your children/grandchildren to in-person schools in Uttar Pradesh?", 33 per cent of parents said, "sending them for in-person school already or will send as soon as school opens". About 45 per cent preferred sending kids to in-person school when test positivity rate drops to 2 per cent or lower in my district.

Twenty-two per cent of parents said, "will only send them for in-person school in next session when schools reopen." On average, 78 per cent of those surveyed are willing to send kids to school at the present rate of infections, the study found.

While a test positivity rate (TPR) of two per cent indicates a low risk of infection, the Omicron variant can spread between two children within two minutes if they are not masked and less than six feet apart in an indoor setting. 

Schools in Uttar Pradesh have announced reopening on February 7 for classes 9 to 12. The study recommends minimising indoor time without masks by either having shorter duration school sessions or having children have their snack/meals non-masked activities outdoors.